Cat Care

How to Groom a Cat- Bathing & Brushing

The general condition of your cat's skin and coat are good indicators of its health. A healthy coat should
be shiny and smooth and healthy skin should be supple and clear. Although health and nutrition influence the
luster and texture of your cat's coat, regular grooming and skin care will help keep your cat's coat clean
and free of tangles, no matter what type of hair coat he or she has.

All cats benefit from regular brushing to remove loose hairs and dead skin cells. Brushing helps keep the
coat free of dirt, debris, and to distribute natural skin oils along the hair shafts. Cats with long coats
require daily brushing to keep their hair from becoming tangled or matted. Cats with short hair coats may
require less frequent brushing.

Grooming a cat daily will cut down on the amount of hair that a cat swallows during the course of self-
grooming with its tongue, thus helping to reduce the number of hairballs your cat may develop. In addition
to benefiting your cat, daily brushing will cut down dramatically on the amount of loose hair and pet dander
floating around the home.

For some people with mild cat allergies, daily brushing may even reduce the amount
of airborne allergens enough that they can share their home with a cat.

Most healthy adult cats are fastidious groomers and will rarely require a cat bath. Most cats have a very
specific self-grooming routine and perform this after every meal and often several times during the day. If
you have an older cat or one with arthritis or other medical conditions you may need to get tips on how to wash
a cat or getting the right type of cat grooming tools to help your cat keep up its basic grooming.

If you do choose to groom your pet at home, VCA veterinarians recommend Vethical™ (http://vethical.com/cats.html)
products. The exclusive line of soap-free shampoos and dermalogic treatments have been specially formulated to
match your cat’s skin condition. Your pet with enjoy a therapeutic solution that not only cleans, but also soothes,
protects and helps maintain her skin health.

Even if you groom your cat at home, it may require routine or occasional trips to a professional groomer.
Contact us to inquire about our grooming services.

Specialty Care

As part of the VCA family, we have over 83 specialty hospitals across the US and Canada which provide referral specialty care, so there may be one near you. Enter ZIP to find VCA specialty care hospitals near you.